Buford Tannen

The original Mad Dog whose legacy of bullying echoes through three generations.

Buford "Mad Dog" Tannen (portrayed by Thomas F. Wilson, in Part III) is one of Hill Valley's outlaws during the 1880s. He comes from a long line of bullies in Hill Valley, most of whom harassed members of the McFly family.

Quick Facts

First appears: Back to the Future Part III (as Buford)

Reader's Guide

Buford Tannen serves as the 1880s iteration of the Tannen family bully, continuing a pattern of harassment against the McFly family that spans generations. As one of Hill Valley's outlaws during the 1880s, he represents the historical origin point of the Tannen-McFly conflict seen throughout the trilogy. His role in Part III establishes that the Tannen family's antagonistic relationship with the McFly family predates the events of the first two films by nearly a century.